The Final Battle, Their Final Moments
by BrinaLilly
Summary: A collection of short stories that take place during the Battle of Hogwarts. Recollections of the battle and some final moments with the people they love.
1. I Wish I Had Told You

My name is Reagan Townsend. I was supposed to be going into in my sixth year at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters came; Snape was in charge and the Carrows punished anyone without the Dark Mark. The school wasn't safe for a muggleborn like me. I was on the run, just like every other muggleborn witch and wizard who didn't want to be sent to Askaban for "stealing magic". My family had been killed months ago and I was with the Creevey family; Colin, Dennis and their parents. My coin began to glow...

"It's happening," Colin said, looking up at me from his coin. We both rose, wands at the ready. Colin said farewell to his mother and father, and lastly Dennis who wanted to come, but we wouldn't allow it. As Colin took my hand in his, I started to feel a tug in my stomach and at the last possible second, a hand on my shoulder.

Dennis.

When we arrived in the Great Hall, we saw the complete chaos. There was no time to take Dennis back. I informed both Dennis and Madame Pomfrey that he was to stay with her. He grudgingly agreed. Before running off to help with some defenses, I felt Colin pull me back. His lips crashed into mine, only lasting for a second. Then Colin ran off following Neville, without a word.

The battle had been raging on for what felt like an eternity. I could hear the screams of people being tortured, the shouting of spells. Everywhere I looked I saw people lying there with their eyes wide open, not breathing anymore. It smelled of death. But I couldn't worry about the dead and their unfortunate fates, as I ran through the grounds dodging spells, curses and hexes I looked for my friends. I found my roommate,Luna, fighting. She was so engulfed in her duel that she didn't realize that there was a Death Eater behind her, wand raised.

"Avad-" the man began to say, but I said it faster. The curse left my wand, hitting him square in the chest. I watched as he went stiff and crunpled to the ground with his eyes open, just staring at me. He was the first man I had ever killed, and I knew that if I wanted to survive this, he wouldn't be the last. I fought as best I could, but the Death Eaters kept coming at me. Some out of vengeance. I had to stun and kill one after another.

"Avada Kaderva!" that makes five... Luna turned to me after her duel was done. She looked at me in surprise for she knew that if it was any other day, I wouldn't hurt a fly. Today was different, today is the last day of many people's lives. Possibly my own.

Luna Lovegood grabbed my free hand and we ran through the grounds, looking for our friends, helping whoever we could. Up ahead we saw Neville, but Colin was no where to be found. As the fighting came to a hiatus I began to look for Colin, but Luna dragged me to the castle where people were hiding. In the Great Hall, people were lining up and identifying the dead and helping the wounded. As Luna and I walked along the rows of people heading towards Madam Pomfrey, I couldn't help but look down at the poor people who had lost their lives, recognizing many of them.

"Reagan, stay here and help," Luna told me, releasing my hand and turning away.

"Luna! Where are you going?" She looked back at me, hugged me tight.

"I am going to see what I can do. Stay here, Reagan. Your a healer, so do what you can, and don't get yourself killed," she said before running back into the fight. I went back to walking along the rows of bodies that had been carried in during a short lapse in fighting, when Voldemort allowed us to carry in the dead. Madam Pomfrey asked me to identify as many as I could, being a seventh year I could identify any students that had perished. I saw the body of Fred Weasley with his family all gathered around, it pained me to see the look on George's face. Half of him died that day, and he will never get it back. I placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder as I passed, silently giving my condolences.

A little ways down the row, there was a young boy who was kneeling next to a body that had just been placed there with his back to me. I recognized the blonde curls of the deceased young man. _Colin_... and kneeling down was having been on the run with them and their family, I had grown quiete fond of him, even though he could be annoying and never knew when to shut up, he was a good man. I remember how he just held me the night after my parents had been killed. For weeks I had been terrified to sleep alone, fearing that the Death Eaters would kill me next. Every night he laid with me until I fell asleep, and was there every morning when I woke up. I knelt down next to Dennis, wrapping my arms around him and holding him tight.

"I can't believe he's gone, Reagan... Tell me I'm dreaming... Tell me I've gone mental... Please, tell me anything that makes it not true!" he said between sobs. Colin had been a friend of mine, both of us were in Dumbledore's Army.

"I'm so sorry, Dennis," was all I could say to comfort him, for I was crying too. Never again would Colin annoy me with his constant blabbering... Never again would I hear his laugh or see him smile... Never again would he hold me or comfort me... Our first kiss would also be our last together. Releasing Dennis for a moment, I leaned over and kissed his forhead. "Goodbye," I whispered to my fallen friend, the man I had just begun to love. Dennis leaned on me and I once again held him, rocking back and forth. I looked up to see a man come over and put a sheet over Colin so that he wasn't staring back up at Dennis and I with that blank look in his eyes and the terrified look on his face that the curse had frozen him his features in. The man looked familiar to me... Oliver Wood, a former Gryffindor who was years older than I.

"Take him home," he told me, "Tell his family." I nodded at Oliver and apparated Dennis and I back to our hiding place where his parents waited for news. One look at the two of us holding one another and they knew. They knew that they would never see their son again, and I hated being the one to tell them. His mother fell to her knees, sobs errupting from her chest, similar to those of Mrs. Weasley back at the school over Fred. Mr. Creevey stood there, one hand on his wife's shoulder, the other over his mouth in disbelief. We sayed like that for awhile, the only sounds were Mrs. Creevey's sobs and Dennis' sniffles.

Later, I apparated back to the school to learn of Voldemorts death. While some cheered, I knelt back down by Colin's side, puuting my head down on his chest, not wanting to leave him. I burried him the muggle way, it was more honorable and brought his family to pay their respects.

_"I wish I had told you that I loved you..."_


	2. Save me

My name is Lacey Winters, and I was in my seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the last part of the Second Wizarding War. Snape was the headmaster, and being a prominent member of Dumbledore's Army put me on the bad side of the Carrow twins. Every chance they got, they tortured Neville, Ginny, Seamus, Lunna and myself, trying to get us to give up the DA. Most of my days were spent hiding in the Room of Requirement, when I wasn't helping Neville, and Seamus with the student rebellion or saving younger students from the Carrows. I had just had another run-in with Amycus, had been kept in a classroom and tortured for hours. It was Seamus who had come to rescue me. By the time he was able to get me out of there I was so weak that he had to carry me, bridal-style, back to the Room of Requirements. As soon as we came in, Neville and Ginny came rushing over.

"Oh my Merlin!" Ginny exclaimed as Seamus set me on one of the many beds. Neville ran to get me some herbs to dull the pain. Seamus turned to walk away from me, I reached for his hand, but pain shot up my arm. I screamed, making him turn back and rush to sit on the bed at my side.

"Lace, what is it? What hurts?" he panicked. I smiled up weakly at him, cradling my arm to my chest where there was a long cut from Amycus. I layed back resting my head back on the pillows, after Neville gave me a remedy for my injuries. "Rest now, Lacey," I wanted to protest, but I was too weak.

I was woken to Seamus brushing my hair from my face. It felt like I had only slept a couple of hours, "Sleep well?" he asked. I nodded, sitting up.

"What's going on?" I asked as I saw a crowd of people at one part of the room, near the portrait.

"Harry's back, it's starting." I stood from the bed and walked toward the trio. Harry looked at me with pain in his eyes.

"Oh Merlin!" Ron said, "What happened to your face?" Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. Harry stepped towards me, holding a hand out to touch my face. I could see the jelousy in Ginny's eyes. His finger traced along the gash on my face, I pulled away when my head began to throb with pain.

"Lacey, who did this?" he said, barely above a whisper. I looked down at my feet. Seamus spoke, knowing I wasn't quiete ready to talk about it.

"Amycus Carrow. Lacey went out the other night to distract the Carrows while I freed some students that were in the dungeons. By the time we realized she was missing, and had found where they were torturing her... She didn't even scream wen they cursed her, she was so weak. I should-" I cut him off.

"I was on the ground, writhing under the Cruciatus curse. I saw Seamus, and gave him the signal to not do anything," I explained, "I didn't want them to get him too." Harry put a hand on either side of my face and kissed the cut.

"She was under that curse for a long time, I'm surprised that she didn't end up like my parents..." Neville said. I turned to him, forcing a smile on my face, pulling him into a hug, wincing when he hugged too tightly back, "Sorry," he mumbled into my hair, loosening his grip.

"What are we waiting for? Let's do this!" I yelled, pumping one fist into the air.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Seamus questioned, concern lacing his voice.

"Yes," I nodded, "But Amycus is mine."

As events unfolded, Slytherins scattered as the rest of us fought to defend the school. I stayed close to Seamus and Neville for as long as I could, not tryingto go looking for Amycus until I was sure that I would have the strength to face him a second time today. Seamus kept a weary eye on me at all times, so that if I decided to spontaneously combust he could step up to help. I disarmed yet another Death Eater. Fighting beside me was a fellow student, Colin Creevey, who has always been obsessed with Harry. I remember when he was a first year, had a camera permanently attached to his head.

He was running after a Death Eater that looked twice his age, and he was barely of age. I ran after him to try and help make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

"Colin! Stop!" I yelled, "Get back here!" I was hot on his heels, wand at the ready. The Death Eater stopped suddenly, turning on Colin. Colin pulled up his wand, but wasn't fast enough.

"Avada Kaderva!" he cursed. I watched as Creevey went rigid and crumpled to the ground.

"NO!" I screamed, raising my wand, "AVADA KADERVA!" Until this moment, I hadn't killed a single person even having dueled half a dozen wizards that day. I heard a voice, Voldemort's voice. It sounded like he was talking over an intercom. The fighting was stopping, temporarily, so that we could collect the dead. Tears came to my eyes as I looked at Colin and the unknown man I had murdered. Sinking to the ground beside Colin, I placed his head in my lap and ran my fingers through his hair.

"Lacey! Lace, where are you!?" I heard Seamus and Neville yelling. I saw them running toward me, Oliver Wood not that far behind. Seamus was by my side in an instant, unnecassarily apparating the hundred feet between us.

"Are you okay?" Seamus asked, pulling me to my feet and into a hug and wiping my tears.

"He's- I-" I couldn't even tell him. Neville knelt down beside Collin.

"It's Colin Creevey," he told Seamus, "We've got him, you take her back up to the castle." I was swept up and carried for the second time today by Seamus. As we entered the Great Hall, I saw all the dead lined up and everyone standing around, mourning. I recognized a face here and there. Seamus set me down then sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I leaned in.

"Colin-he-he ran off after a Death Eater, and I w-went after him," I stuttered, "He wasn't fast enough to block the curse, neither was I... I killed a man, Seamus. I'm a m-murderer..."

"Shh..." he pulled me closer. We stayed like that for awhile, then we heard that Harry had gone to face Voldemort.

When we saw Hagrid, crying and holding Harry's lifeless body. Time seemed to stand still as I stood there, Seamus' hand in mine. Neville stood at the front, taking the role of head as he had when Harry had left Hogwarts the previous year.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom," Voldemort said, more like hissed.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" Neville yelled. We all shouted our support . From there thing happened so fast, Neville pulled the Gryffindor sword out of the sorting hat he had been forced to wear for defying Voldemort. With one stroke of the sword, he killed Nagini, Voldemorts giant snake, further weakening him. Harry was gone, no longer in Hagrids arms. He was alive! And the fighting commenced. I saw Amycus in the crowd of Death Eaters. I headed straight for the Carrow that had taken pleasure in torturing me every chance he got during this past term. He rose his wand to try and stop me, but I was already upon him.

"Expeliarmus!" his wand flew from his hand, "Stupify!" I yelled curse after curse, making him feel my pain. "Crucio!" I watched as he writhed in pain, screaming in agony. I held the curse, not nearly as long as he deserved. Raising my wand to him one last time, I said the killing curse, ending him forever. He could no longer hurt me, or anyone else for that matter.

"You bitch!" heard Alecto scream at the sight of her brothers limp body on the courtyard floor. Before I could raise my wand in defense, she had cursed me.

"Crucio!" I fell to the ground, it felt like all my bones were breaking and the inside of my body was on fire. I fought back a scream, not wanting to give her that satiosfaction. This only angered her released me from the curse, only to shout another.

"Sectum Sempra!"

It wasn't the curse I had expected. My skin split open all over my body. My breath caught in my lungs for a second as I lay there still on the stone of the courtyard floor. I felt each cut feel like it every cut got deeper with every breath I took. Alecto walked over to me, pulled me up by my hair.

"You don't deserve the quick death, that the killing curse provides," she whispered in my ear, and threw me back onto the stone. My head collide with the ground. I was dying, slowly bleeding out. I needed the counter curse...

"Lacey!" I heard Seamus yell, my vision was starting to get fuzzy. I felt him pick me up and pull me into his lap, cradling me like a little child that woke up from a nightmare, rather than living it. "What curse did she use?" When I didn't answer he cupped my face with one hand, "I can't save you unless you tell me!" I began to cough, a wet cough. I felt the blood on my lips.

"Se-" I kept coughing, "Sectum-" more blood, "Sempra." I knew he didn't know the counter curse, only one person that I could think of knew the counter curse, and he was dead. Snape...

"Stay with me, Lacey," Seamus whispered, "This is gonna hurt," he picked me up again and ran for the great Hall. Seering pain surged through my body with every step he took. Its amazing that nothing hit him, no curse or hex... We entered the Great Hall, Seamus was yelling, begging for help. He layed me on the ground, brushing the hair out of my face. He was covered in my blood, I felt weaker, then he rose to his feet and ran for help. Madame Pomfrey was practically dragged to me. They were talking, but I couldn't make out the words. I was shivering, the blood loss was making me cold, but not numb. I felt Seamus holding my hand. Slowly I faded into darkness...

I no longer felt any pain. I felt warm, no longer cold and tired. I felt Seamus' hand. Opening my eyes I saw a light, after a few seconds my eyes adjusted and a saw Seamus smiling down at me.

"Am I dead?" He laughed at me, shaking his head, "Thank Merlin, because that would mean you were too."

"We won, Lacey. Voldemort is dead. I killed Alecto too," he told me. I smiled, sitting up quickly. The blood rushed to my head, Seamus pulled me into a hug as a way to steady me.

"You always save me," I stated.

"I always will," he smiled, not letting go.


End file.
